On the Way Out, Gouache 9″ x 12,” by Donna Lyons © 2019
Count Down
By Marty Coffin Evans © 2025
Just when we finished one holiday, the countdown began for another. More specifically, once August arrived, so too did the Halloween decorations in different stores. Think Costco, World Market or Michaels/Hobby Lobby???
Not long after Labor Day, Christmas decorations began appearing to bump out those Halloween displays. Actually, Hallmark offered a “Christmas in July” series. Oh wait, in October, Hallmark programs started “Countdown to Christmas” on Saturdays for the next two and a half or three months or close to 12 Saturdays full of different stories all headed toward December 25.
Okay, what about those special calendars. Advent calendars with little pictures and even candy help those wanting a different form of counting down.
I admit as a child, I no doubt counted down the days until my birthday. Did you do that too? Do your children, grands, nieces or nephews do that as well? Why not? It’s our special day and way of looking forward to when party time begins along with some special presents. Of course, we can always celebrate the entire month! I do.
This year when a friend celebrated her January 18 birthday, she decided to do so throughout the year. She did her best to have parties on the 18th of each month with family members, friends or gatherings in different places special to her.
I remember going to a quite different countdown some years ago in Florida. This countdown involved the launch of the MAVEN Mission from Cape Canaveral. We were told the last seconds before liftoff were the most critical for a Go or Scrub. We saw the liftoff from our observation area some miles away. We heard car alarms go off and felt the building shake from where we watched.
Holidays, birthdays, and space launches all have some connections to counting down. I know I look at upcoming events with anticipation and begin counting the number of days or months until they happen. It’s only ___more ____until___.
December 2025